Steering gear



C. R. SHORT.

STEERING GEAR.

Feb. 6, 1923.

FILED MAY'23.1921.

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Patented Feb. 6, 1923..

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hasta CHARLES R. SHORT, 0F DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH CORPOlEtAJl|0'l.\T,- OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

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Application filed may 23,1921. lsemi No. 471,868.

To all whom it 'may concer/n:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. SHORT, a lsubject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Dayton, county of Montgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Steering Gears, of which the following isja full, clear, and eX- act description. y

rlhe invention relates to gear sets of the type generally employed in transmitting power from the steering wheel or the like to the dirigible .elements ofy a vehicle. 1 n power transmitting devices of this type it is highly desirable to provide means for hindering the transmission of motion or shocks from the actuated devices to the actuating means in order to avoid discomfort for the operator and to facilitate the maintenance of the actuated devices inthe,- adj usted position.

The principal 'i object of in y inventionv therefore is to pnovide a steering gearfor automobiles or the like in which the transmissionof shocks from the road wheels to the steering wheel is materially hindered.

A further object is to provide anarrangement of power .transmitting devices especially adapted for use insteering gears which shall be very simple and compact in construction and capable of bein readilyassembled and disassembled, an which shall have a high degree of eiiciencyfor the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and other obJects in view, as will appear more fully from the following description, the invention vcomprises the features of novelty herein disclosed, 4together with such variations and modifications as may be included in the scope of the appended claims. p y ^In the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a'form of 'steering gear adapted for use in an automobile;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views respectively of the teeth of the pinion a-nd of the segment employed in the embodiment. of

, frame member which may be one ofthe side members of an automobile frame 1 of ordinary construction. A bracket is secured to the frame as by rivets 12, which bracket v tate therewith as by a key connection 20.

In the bearing sleeve 14 is journalled a st ub shaft 21 carrying at the lower end a pinion 22 arranged to mesh with the teeth of the sector 19. The upper end of the stub shaft projects above the bracket 11 and engages within the end of a tubular member V23 which may be the rotatable steering post or analogous element of an automobile steering mechanism and will preferably be provided at its upper end with a steering wheel (not shown). 1n. order to provide for the securing of the pinion to post 23 and for the convenient assembly or removal of the parts, l may utilize a key 24 extending through a slot in the member 23 and into a keyway in the stub shaft 21. A split sleeve 25 surrounds the member 23 `and retains the key 24 in its seat, being clamped in position by a bolt 26. The lowerend of the sleeve'25 engages with the upper surface of the bearing sleeve 14 and serves as a thrust bearing for the steering post and the parts carried thereby.

Mounted in a transverse aperture in the bracket 11 is a pin 27 having a head 28 to receivel a wrench and screw threads to receive `a lock nut 29.l Secured 'to the pin at its inner 'teeth -31 of the sectorl9 are cut with an unusually high pressure'angle, an involute angle in excess of" 30 beingl shown for example in Figs. 4 and 5, in order thereby to increase by a wedging actionv the tendency of the sector to be forced away from the pin- -ion by the reaction between the teeth. 'It

will be seen that by this means the resistance to movement due to vapplication of The gearing is thereforerendered at least partiallyl irreversible and, in theucase of steering gears, the vtransmission .of shocks; from theroad wheels'to the steering wheel "teeth thereof, and manually operab 'i or the like'is materially, reduced. Y u I Iforv actuatmg said pinion,"the.teeth of said It will be .f understood that-the particular angle'of gear tooth to be employed'wlll vary y somewhat in accordance w'ith'the4 degree of locking action considered desirable. g Other changes in details of constructlon may be the invention and therefore'I do not desire made without departing from the. scope of -to. be limited tothe'. specific structure dei `pinion connected to suitablemeans forl man-.-

' 'ual operation, a toothed ear member engag- `suitably'connecteding asurface with which-said gear member of the 'appendedclaims v A. l

`scribed except' as required by the language I claim: 1. .A .steering gear A a toothed ing with saidpinion an ltoelements to be'stered, and a body 'providcontacts, thefengaging surfaces of said teeth I .having a .high pressure angle tending to- -forc'e said memberagainst said surface `and produce s uliicient .friction to substantially' prevent the transmission of shocks from said --steered elements means.4

f said manual .operating 2. A steering A pinion connected to sultab e means for man-4 af ual operation, a toothed gear. 'member ening to force sai `face and produce sufficient friction to subwith said pinion and suitably connecte to elements to be steered, and a body providing ay surface with which said gear' member contacts, the engaging surfaces of "C -said teeth havin a high pressure angle tendmember against said sur- 'stantially prevent the transmission of shocks from sald steered elements to said manual operating means, the said contacting surface 'from said steered gear com a toothed signature. .I i.

' v CHARLES R- ,SHQMJ pinion and sector being formed with an ab'- normally high pressure. angle whereby a being' adjustable toward and or .connection to jeements togbe' wedging action is 'produced between 'said toothed elements tending to force the sector agalnst the said body and producing frict1on to hinderthe transmission of shocks actuatingl means.

'.'tatably` supported insaid bracket, means coelements 'tolsaid manual i operating`. with said pinion and adapted to transmitdmotion to. elements Vto be steered, a 'tubularvpost fitting over the end of said stub shaftf" and J keyed thereto and a clampilgl sleevev surrounding said post and arrang to rotate: 1n engagement with said bracket. 5. A' steermg gear' comprising a support- '-ing bracket,the upper end thereof constituting a thrust bearing member; a pinion having a stub shaft-rotatably supported in said l bracket, means cooperatingwith said pinion 'and adaptedto transmit motion to elements to be steered; av tubular post' secured over the end of said stub shaft by means of a clamping member abutting said thrust bearing member andjadapted to transfer the thrust of the post and .parts supporting bracket. In testimony whereof I hereto carried thereby to thev 'aixfmy 

